Cable retainer



y 7, 1953 v A. R. VOGEL 2,644,667

CABLE RETAINER I Filed March 26, 1951 Patented July 7, 1953UNITED...JSTATES f 'OFiFlCE I I 2,644,667.

CABLE RETAINER" Alvinz-R- VogelQLos Angelesg.Galif.;.assignor::.to-Northrop Aircraft, .Inc., -Hawthorne,ualif.,.a

corporationof.California Appl-ication March-26, 195I ,Scrial=NOE 217,475

4 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a. means for retaining cables on pulleys andthe11ike,.-and more specifically to a means for retaining control cables inpulleys in aircraft control systems.

It is the objectofmy invention to provide an economical means, of lightweight, for reliably retaining cables in" pulleys,'such as are 'found inthe control systems of aircraft for example, which will allow cables tobe disengaged from pulleys simply and-easily without removing thecable'retainer; Cable retainers are normally mounted'nearthe pulleys andpositioned-in such a way that the respective cable cannot slip out ofthe pulley grooves during slackened conditions or become displacedtherefrom, during operating conditions.

Briefly, my invention preferably comprises a spring-loaded rollerslidably mounted on a threaded post positioned in relation to the pulleyto prevent the cable from accidently leaving the pulley groove, whichWill be more clearly understood by referring to the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view partly in longitudinal section of apulley and cable installation, showing one preferred form of myinvention in position.

Figure 2 is a perspective View illustrating the step of disengaging acable from a pulley wherein the present embodiment of my invention isused.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a quadrant and cable with a retainerinstalled for maximum safety.

In Figure 1, for example, a number of cable sections it are engaged withand routed around a typical cable pulley I l and seated in a number ofgrooves l2 around the circumference thereof. A single shouldered screwpost l4, threaded on one end thereof, is fastened into a threaded bore15 in the adjacent structure I6. A number of tubular rollers 11, of alightweight material such as a phenolic plastic for example, areslidably mounted on the shank of the screw post [A and positioned inproximity to the grooved circumference of the pulley II to transverselyoppose the cables Ill. The screw post 14 has a shank long enough toaccommodate a compression spring l9 thereon, interposed between theoutermost roller Ila and a slotted head 2| provided at the other end ofthe screw post M; The rollers I! are held in tension by the spring l9 ina position relative to the cables in to prevent their slipping out oftheir respective pulley grooves 12 during slackening of the cables, orjumping from one groove [2 to another under operating conditions.

(Cl. 254G193 The :rollers:.-l.'| can be: easily moved away from thecablesnlfi; asshown in Figure' 2, by simply pulling vithe rolleraxially=against2the spring I9 I with" one hand-and disengaging'the cableH) -'from thepulley groove 'ITWith-thfi other hand; If it is desirabletoidisengage' all of the cables In from the pulley! hr each roller H iseasily moved out of the way, andrmuchtimeaand'effort is saved ineliminating the conventional step of=completely removingcable retainers.The chance that the cable; retainer or parts thereof being lost isalsosavoided; 6

In Figure 3, a cable retainer of the present invention is shown inposition to retain and protect a cable 10 routed at a turn aroundatypical single cable control quadrant 22. One roller I1 is shown,having a spacer 23 between the roller l1 adjacent structure IS. A spacer23 of any length can be used to position the rollers l 1 relative to thecable Ill so long as screw posts ll of sufficient length are providedtherefor.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificfeatures shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprise a preferred form of putting the invention into effect, and theinvention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modificationswithin the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for retaining cables in a grooved pulley and the like, saidpulley having a plurality of cable turns in a, plurality of groovesthereon,

said means comprising a post element positioned in proximity to saidpulley transversely to said grooves, said post having a retaining meansat one end thereof, a plurality of rollers rotatably and slidablymounted on said post, each of said rollers opposing one of said cables.

and a spring mounted on said post, said spring being interposed betweensaid rollers and said retaining means, said spring exerting forceagainst said rollers to retain said rollers in said positions relativeto said cables, the length of said post being substantially greater thandouble the total length of said rollers and said spring when compressed,whereby said rollers can be manually moved away from said positionsrelative to said cables against the force of said spring toward saidretaining means to clear said grooves, to allow removal of said cablesfrom said grooves.

2. A device for retaining a cable in the groove of a cable pulley; whichcomprises a post headed at one end thereof, roller means slidablymounted on said post, and resilient means positioned intermediate saidheaded end of said post and said roller means, said post being attachedat the end thereof opposite said headed end to a rigid support andpositioned closely adjacent the groove of said pulley with said post andsaid roller means transversely opposed to said cable in said pulleygroove, said roller means being maintained in close opposition to saidcable by said resilient means to prevent said cable from leaving saidgroove.

3. A device for retaining cables'in a plurality of grooves in a cablepulley; which comprises a post headed at one end thereof, a plurality oftubular sleeves slidably mounted on said post, a spring mounted on saidpost intermediate said headed end and said sleeves, said post beingattached at the end thereof opposite said headed end to a rigid supportand positioned closely adjacent said pulley with said post and saidsleeves transversely opposed to said grooves, said sleeves beingdimensioned and spaced on said post so that one of said sleeves isopposed to the cable in each groove on said pulley, said sleeves beingmaintained in said closely opposed relation to said cables by saidspring to prevent said cables from leaving said grooves.

4. In combination with a pulley having a plurality of groovestherearound, each of said grooves retaining a cable; a retainercomprising a cylindrical post having a head of increased diameter at oneend thereof, a plurality of sleeve rollers slidably mounted on saidpost, and a spring mounted on said post intermediate said head and saidrollers, said post having means at the end thereof opposite said headedend for attaching said post to a support to position said post closelyadjacent said pulley. with said post extending transversely to saidpulley grooves, said spring urging said rollers in a direction toposition said rollers opposite said cables in said pulley grooves, saidrollers being dimensioned and spaced in such a manner that each one ofsaid rollers respectively opposes one of said cables, said rollers beingmovable along said post, against the force of, said spring, away fromsaid position opposite said cables so that said cables can be removedfrom said grooves.

' ALVIN R. VOGEL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

